To feel a bit harassed by charity worker

[Hardknocks]

Was on my way back from a meeting in London this evening, had to stop at the ticket machine to get my ticket a charity person came over to ask for a donation - I said I couldn’t afford it (I couldn’t), but I usually do give something. However this guy was so pushy, putting leaflets in my face, telling me he lost his brother to knife crime etc etc. He put £25 into his card reader and just kept saying ‘just tap your phone, tap your phone’. I politely asked him to move so that I could get past and through the train barrier but he said not until I tap.. so feeling completely intimidated I did.

I feel stupid, I couldn’t afford £25. I don’t begrudge giving to charity at all and I do where I can. AIBU to feel a bit upset about the whole thing.

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Thanks, will have a look at that later.

Make a fraudulent payment claim to your card issuer and report this to the police. He intimidated you into giving him money, so basically you've been mugged.

I've bought the Big Issue twice in my life. First time I was a skint student back in the 90's and the guy refused to give me my change (that was my bus fare home). Horrible situation.
Second time a few years later the guy didn't want to give me the magazine as it was his 'last one'. Bit of an argument broke out. That was me done with supporting Big Issue sellers.

Think I would have smiled, taken the card reader from him and thrown it hard to the ground, giving you time to go through the barrier.

If these collectors are inside the station, they must have permission from TfL to be there. Anyone who has been approached by chuggers using similar tactics at Farringdon (or any other TfL station) should complain to TfL.

I think we should all tweet them (is it still tweeting, now it's X?) and send them the link to this thread. Tell them they should be looking after the safety of their passengers, especially lone female ones, and making sure these aggressive chuggers are sent packing.

Dh reckons they target Farringdon because there is a high proportion of wealthy businesses around there, and they think there will be people with money going through the station.

Not necessarily a scam as such but still very dubious, these aggressive charity collectors are working on comission, and there's no guarantee of how much you donate actually reaches the cause, I suspect it's very little. It's not exactly a scam (because a minimum amount will go to the stated cause to keep it legal), but if it's not a charity, then it's more about getting your money than helping a good cause. And don't be concerned about hurting the chuggers feelings, they don't care about the cause, but they will use all the tricks to get your card out...

If these collectors are inside the station, they must have permission from TfL to be there.

Yes. TfL have asked me to move before for leafleting a bit too close to a tube station entrance, so there’s no way unauthorised collectors wouldn’t be picked up on.

There were about 10 or 11 of these 'chuggers' at Farringdon station today, at the bit between the Thameslink / Elizabeth station and the tube station, 6 shown with yellow circles in the attached photo, everyone else redacted. All numbers are approximate as they were quite difficult to count (!) - lots of people around and they're pretty mobile, capering after commuters.

There were four wearing yellow jackets who were doing their own thing with laminated sheets, didn't see what they were supporting. The rest were wearing blue or purple (and one black) jacket - a couple had Uplifterz CIC on the back but most were blank. They seemed to be working together / know each other so I suspect all from the same org but can't be certain. Proffering magazines but I didn't get a good look at those.

One was in the station so I asked a member of staff if that was permitted and he told the guy to leave while I mouthed "don't give them any money" to the people he was trying to talk to ;)

When I returned to the station (about half an hour later) I lurked for a bit with a cup of coffee. Opening gambits to commuters included something like "you've dropped something" or "is that yours?" to young women (I didn't hear exactly what was said but it resulted in the women looking round at the ground in confusion) and compliments about hair to the men (I heard a few of those). I got a "you look friendly" but made it clear I wasn't ;)

I'm irritated that this many of them are allowed to carry on like this, haranguing people in a reasonably small space. Grr.

Jo

We also went through Farringdon yesterday and there was a chugger in the outside bit in-between the two entrances. He was dressed in purple and talking very aggressively to a commuter in an in your face aggressive way. Was awful to see.

Please complain to TfL and the BTP, @JoBrodie.

I will certainly raise it with TfL (& Thameslink) and BTP @SDTGisAnEvilWolefGenius and also Islington Council - though to be fair to the chuggers they didn't harass me personally so I probably don't have enough info to put in a 'formal' complaint.

@Hardknocks certainly does though and @Keepingittogetherstepbystep suggested the Office of the Regulator of Community Interest Companies and I'd agree that's probably the best place to complain about this particular incident.

The complaint form itself (4pg PDF) asks on page 2 if the complainant is happy for their name to be shared with the CIC (yes/no tickbox), and the "Complaints about community interest companies" document (15pg PDF) from August 2023 outlines the scope of their regulatory powers and 'how to' complain etc.

There's also an email address [email protected] and 24-hour voicemail service 029 2150 7420.

This Gov UK news story, from 1 September 2023, is also worth a read - it highlights that the CIC complaints procedure has been updated / streamlined, also that they generally expect complainants to have tried to resolve matters with the CIC itself first (I don't think that would apply here though) - "Complaints about Community Interest Companies - Updated Process"

Jo

I went through yesterday about 6pm and there were six in yellow jackets...sadly none approached me...must have sensed I was ready for them!!

You’ve been robbed.
This person does not work for a charity, it’s a known scam. Contact your bank and inform them as he may be trying to steal your bank details.

Contact your bank and stop the transaction. Start using your words and telling people to get out of your space.

Oh yuck I got pulled by these when I was in London on my hen do, I was pretty merry so easy to coerce and me and a friend gave a combined £100 which had they been a genuine charity I wouldn’t mind at all but now I know this I’m so annoyed

The irony is this organisation is supposedly to help stop knife crime.
A lot of the fights and stabbings that happen in London are down to stupid petty arguments and people getting angry with one another.
So this organisation decides to raise money using a method that is going to piss people off and anger them.
They are lucky they've only had some angry responses of "fuck off" and haven't actually been punched in the face or (ironically) worse.

I think it's disgraceful that TfL sit back and let this happen every day.

@duc748 on the photo shared a couple of days ago it looks like they are stood outside the station. If it's not TfL property there's probably not much they can do 🙁

I'm not convinced that's a genuine charity, their website seems to have taken their photos from a variety of other bona fode websites and they were only registered in July. I think it may be a scam.

OP a CIC is NOT a charity. Its a 'Community Interest Company', a type of business. Its absolutely a scam and you need to report them for posing aa charity workers.

@duc748 looking on Google earth it shows there's two stations opposite. One for the tube (so TfL run) and one for Thameslink and Elizabeth Line (probably not run by TfL).
These sneaky chuggers seem to be on the pedestrianised street in-between 🙁

I tell them I choose my charity for each month on 1st of each month and give directly. It's the truth but also is a whole sentence. My donations are thought-through and made, so leave me alone.

@ComeAgainPlease a better sentence to use is just "Leave me alone".
Don't even bother getting into a conversation.

The OP was at the ticket machine, inside the station, when she was forced to give the chugger money, @Needmorelego. Anyone who sees them inside the station should report it to TfL, or the BTP, because they can be removed.